Channel 5
Police Make Arrest in Double Murder; Tyler Savery's Mom Shares Deep Pain
There is an arrest in the double murder of seven-year-old Tyler Savery and twenty-one-year old Porshan Pipersburgh. Police have charged a Curassow street resident for the double murder. When Jayear [...]
Leader of the Opposition Repeats Call for National Unity on Crime
The murder of seven-year-old Tyler Savery and his twenty-one-year-old cousin, Porshan Pipersburgh, has broken many Belizean hearts. A simple outing to get a milkshake at a neighbourhood establishment on Friday [...]
Superbond 3.0 is All U.D.P. Legacy, Says P.U.P.
Prime Minister Dean Barrow; Financial Secretary Joseph Waight, and Economic Ambassador Mark Espat returned from New York City over the weekend having laid the groundwork for the possible negotiations for [...]
Get Ready for Higher Taxes and Retrenchment, Opposition Warns
Batting away reminders that his party, when in Government, packaged seventeen original loans to form the Superbond and that much of that debt has still not been paid, P.U.P. leader [...]
P.U.P. Meets B.N.T.U.; Can Government Be Convinced on Salary Deductions?
The People's United Party met earlier today with the executive of the Belize National Teacher's Union. Many of the Union's members who went on an eleven-day strike that led to [...]
Do You Believe G.O.B. Will Raise Taxes?
And our question for tonight is: Do you believe G.O.B. will raise taxes as a result of Superbond restructuring? Send your comments and responses using your SMART phones to 8686 [...]
Without Guatemala, Can Belize Hold on to Sarstoon?
Minister of Foreign Affairs Wilfred Elrington appears to have thrown his hands up in the air in relation to getting a Sarstoon Protocol, admitting that he has been unable to [...]
Guatemala Controls Southern Boundary; Infringing into Belizean Territory
A report of the latest military encounter on the Sarstoon River, involving village leaders, as well as a team of and park rangers attached to SATIIM, has been filed with [...]
SATIIM Says Oversight of National Park Needs G.O.B. Intervention
Since losing its co-management agreement in July 2013, SATIIM has been virtually on its own as far as monitoring illegal activities within the expansive broadleaf, wetland and mangrove forest.� The [...]
N.G.O. Reps Promise "Inclusive" Process for 13th Senator
The process of officially selecting a thirteenth senator is finally underway, eight years after being introduced as a manifesto promise by the United Democratic Party.�� Twenty-two non-government organizations considered to [...]
13th Senator Means Business!
Critics of the appointment of a thirteenth senator, including Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington, have dismissed the addition of one more parliamentarian as merely another stumbling block in government's move to [...]
Shelly Meighan Forgives Attackers; Roger Anthony, Kendis Flowers Walk from Attempted Murder Charge
Two notorious figures of the Ghost Town area also known as "Mayflower Street" walked from the charge of attempted murder after the woman they allegedly attempted to murder in a [...]
Will Gaspar Vega Face Recall in Orange Walk North?
The Northern Caucus of the People's United Party has called for the resignation of Gaspar Vega. The Orange Walk North area representative and former Deputy Prime Minister resigned from cabinet [...]
"Boots" Martinez and Daughter's Finances Questioned
Last week, Minister of Human Development Anthony "Boots" Martinez denied conflict of interest in the decision by the Department of Social Services, which used to be on Regent Street, to [...]
The Lesson of Donald Trump for Belizean Politics
Donald Trump is set to take office in January as the forty-fifth President of the United States of America. He surprised the world with an unexpectedly comprehensive victory over Democratic [...]
Promoting the Use of G.I.S. in Schools
Geospatial information systems may be introduced in the classrooms through the curriculum starting from primary schools. On Tuesday, primary school teachers participated in a workshop where they were introduced to [...]
Medics and Dentists Discuss Advances in Health Profession
The Belize Medical and Dental Association is hosting its thirty-fifth annual congress this week. The three-day event kicked off with a conference today sponsored by the Ministry of Health through [...]
Courts Belize Completes Sewing Circle Project
Courts has embarked on an initiative to empower primarily single mothers and women who have retired and are seeking a means to earn an income. Using their Brother Sewing product, [...]
Dangriga Will Be Safe for Garifuna Settlement Weekend, Say Police
The murder of Victoria Castillo, the sixty-three year old churchgoing Christian mother and grandmother, who was nearly decapitated by attackers who wanted her money-about three thousand dollars in cash-for their [...]
Belize Steps Up in International Film Festival
Yochi, Manna and Soca Mode are some of the productions that made it to the top in this year's Belize International Film Festival. These local productions competed against thirty others [...]
CTV3
Police Charged One Of Their Own For Wounding
Last night we reported that after an entire week of investigation carried out by the Orange Walk Police Formation against one of their own after a report of police brutality was made against him by twenty one year old Hugo Noh, a Guinea Grass resident, the case file was sent to the DPP for further instructions. Tonight we can tell you that Police Constable Jaime Gongora was formally arrested and charged this afternoon at the Orange Walk Magistrate's Court. During his arraignment, Gongora plead not guilty and was offered bail in the sum of $4,000 plus one surety of the same amount. The case was adjourned for the 21st of February, 2017.
GOB Investigates Encounter Between SATIM And GAF
Over the past month there have been two very alarming incidents at the Sarstoon involving the Guatemalan Armed Forces, and the BDF as well as Belizean citizens, where the GAF have denied access of the area to Belizeans. The latest encounter was recorded on Thursday November 10th when the Sarstoon-Temash Institute for Indigenous Management (SATIIM) was interrupted by Guatemalan Armed Forces (GAF) while operating in the Sarstoon River. Today the Ministry of Defense issued a press release informing that the Belize Defense Force (BDF) received a report of an incident that occurred last Thursday, involving SATIIM.
Standard And Poor Lowers Belize's Credit Rating
There is bad economic news to report tonight. Standard and Poors credit rating agency has lowered their long-term foreign and local currency sovereign credit ratings for Belize's from B minus to CCC plus. The agency also indicated that they were lowering their short-term foreign and local currency sovereign ratings from B to C. The lowered ratings takes Belize's credit ratings, from the perspective of Standard and Poors, to junk status and it can have wide impacts on how financial creditors and investors view Belize's financial capacity.
OWTC Puts Taxpayers Money To Good Use
As promised by the Orange Walk Town Council, there has been major investment in infrastructure and the target has been and continues to be the renovation of various streets across town which is considered heavily trafficked areas. Continuing with their commitment, the council is now upgrading Munoz Lane, Cinderella Street and Santa Ana Street providing residents a smooth ride to their specific destinations.
Opposition Leader Says New Super bond Crisis Is The UDP Creation
Belize's depressed economy has taken center stage in national discussions as the Barrow administration prepares to make another attempt to re-negotiate the over $500m Superbond debt. Prime Minister Dean Barrow explained in interviews yesterday that the Superbond renegotiations have become necessary because the economy has not performed as expected under the terms of the 2013 negotiations with bondholders. Today, Leader of the Opposition Hon. John Briceno called on the media to address the issue squarely. He explained why in his view the situation could have been avoided and called the looming debt crisis, a UDP-made economic disaster.
LOVE FM
Belize Gets Downgraded by Standard and Poor's Global Ratings
It is no secret that Belize's economy has seen a downward trend in its growth performance and that austerity measures announced earlier by Government will create some challenges in both the private and public sectors. But, there is more to Belize's economic performance than just the local effects. Just yesterday Standard and Poors lowered Belize's [�]
BELIZE: CABEI's Newest Non-Founding Member
With Belize being downgraded by Standard and Poor's Global Ratings and with the International Monetary Fund recently providing a bleak outlook for Belize as well as Moody's Financial Services, one good thing coming out of the financial front is the fact that Belize recently joined the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI). It may [�]
Guatemala Insists on Sarstoon Protocol; Belize Says There Is None
With the absence of a written mutual agreement between Belize and Guatemala surrounding the Sarstoon, it continues to leave the window open for confrontations to occur at the Sarstoon as what transpired on Thursday, November 10, between the Guatemalan Armed Forces and the Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management (SATIIM). While SATIIM was given access [�]
Opposition Leader Says There's No Plan to Defend the Sarstoon
Today, Leader of the Opposition, John Briceno, held a press briefing in which he spoke of the latest incident in the Sarstoon. As we have been reporting, Maya Leaders were traversing up the Sarstoon River last week when they were stopped by members of the Guatemalan Armed Forces. According to the Guatemalan Military, the Maya [�]
Briceno Says the Bond Is For and From Dean Barrow
Prime Minister Dean Barrow along with his legal team is looking to restructure Belize's 2038 Bonds that were issued in 2013. The government is citing that the country's economy has significantly underperformed in comparison with the projections used at the time of setting the terms of the bonds. PM Barrow is looking to get out [�]
PUP Lead Senator to File Court Application against GOB on Behalf of Teachers
On Wednesday, November 9, 2016 attorney for the Belize National Teachers Union, Senior Counsel Eamon Courtenay wrote to Education Minister, Patrick Faber requesting that the order to have deductions made to teachers' salaries be rescinded. While the letter is no surprise, as Minister Faber had told the media about it last Friday when we met [�]
PUP and BNTU Meet
This morning the Opposition Leader, John Briceno met with the leaders of the Belize National Teachers Union, BNTU. Briceno shared what was discussed. JOHN BRICENO "
PUP Prepare to Engage in Recall of Gaspar Vega
Over the weekend, the Northern Caucus of the People's United Party met in Ranchito Village. The focus of the meeting was to discuss the process, procedures and requirements for the recall of a Member of the House of Representatives. In this case, the subject was UDP's Area Representative, Gaspar Vega. The PUP's Northern Caucus is [�]
Opposition Leader Blames Government and Community for Tyler's Death
An 18-year-old Belizean laborer has been charged for the murders of 7-year-old, Tyler Savery and 21-year-old, Porshan Pipersburgh. The accused murderer, Jayear Flores of a Currasow Street address in Belize City is now facing two counts of murder following the death of Savery on Friday evening and Piperburgh's passing on Saturday evening. The two cousins [�]
A City of Violence and An Appeal for the Public's Help
The past weekend saw a spike in murders and shootings after the gunmen seem to have taken somewhat of a sabbatical. Seven shooting incidents with three persons losing their lives and one person critical in the hospital were reported for the Belize District alone. It is a case where the outcry for justice is becoming [�]
Amandala
Chopped up for US$3,000
The body of a Dangriga resident, Victoria Castillo, 63, who had been reported missing, was discovered, chopped into pieces, with her head almost cut off, in a crocus sac buried inside a shallow grave at around midday on Saturday.
She was found near her home on Melinda Road in Dangriga Town.
A police investigation revealed that US $3,000 and her passport were missing from her residence.
The Officer Commanding the Dangriga Police formation, Senior Superintendent Ralph Moody, told our newspaper that some nephews of Castillo's spouse are wanted in connection with her murder.
Moody believes that the men have since fled to El Salvador.
Ruthless gunman murders child, 7
John Avilez, 26, lost his life on Angel Lane in 2014 after a gunman exited a vehicle and fired several shots towards him while he was socializing with friends and relatives.
His nephew, Leon Savery, 28, was also shot multiple times in that same incident and lost his life just days later.
On Friday, Savery's only child, Tyler Savery, was gunned down not too far away from where he, Leon Savery, had been shot.
Tyler, just 7 years old, was with his cousin, Porshan Pipersburgh, 21, on Daly Street when they came under fire. Tyler and Porshan were on a bicycle around 4:30 p.m. on their way to buy a milkshake when occupants inside a white four-door car opened fire at them.
Manna: A Hyde film showcased at BIFF
Today, the 11th annual Belize International Film Festival premiered a number of films in its Short Narratives category, and among the many films created by filmmakers from many countries was Manna, a film produced by some members of the Hyde family.
The executive producer of Manna is Ronald Hyde and the film producers are Blackhorse Lowe, Colin Hyde, Daniel Edward Hyde and Jonathan Vellos (Manifest Multimedia).
Manna is based on an original script written and produced by Daniel Hyde, who teamed up with Blackhorse Lowe and Jonathan Vellos as directors of photography.
It is of note that Manna received Special Mention (Short Film Category) and won Most Notable Belizean Film.
Guat military stops SATIIM - again!
In a press release issued last night, the Sarstoon Temash Institute for Indigenous Management (SATIIM) decried the latest incursion and attack by the Guatemalan Armed Forces (GAF) at the Sarstoon River, in which the army again tried to exert power over Belizean territory, claiming that a protocol must be observed-this despite assertions by Belize Foreign Minister Wilfred Elrington last Friday that talks with Guatemala to agree on a protocol for the Sarstoon, Belize's southern border with Guatemala, had been at a standstill because the Guatemalans stopped engaging when relations soured over the fatal shooting of a Guatemalan minor in the Chiquibul in April.
That was the same month a SATIIM patrol was stopped, and they were stopped again on Wednesday, November 10, 2016. The SATIIM patrol, which had been mounted to monitor ancestral lands in the area, was met by a GAF team, which told them that they need to understand the protocol in place.
"While SATIIM forest patrols have previously been accosted by the Guatemalan military in this historically contested border area, this is the first time the Mayans were informed they could only enter under Guatemalan military escort," SATIIM's release said.
Ladyville resident in coma after 9 p.m. ambush
Within an hour, two Ladyville residents survived two separate attempts on their lives.
The first to survive was Golda Martinez, 35, of #3 Bracket Farm in Ladyville. She was reportedly inside her home with her children at around 8 o'clock Sunday night when someone began to throw stones at her house.
She peeped through a window to see who the culprit was, and saw a man near some bushes.
The man, Martinez said, was dressed in black, with a white hoodie. He was holding an object and pointed it towards her.
However, she quickly moved away from the window, and then heard a loud bang. The gunman had blasted a hole in the front door of her home, and he then fled the area.
Police were immediately called to the scene, and are investigating the shooting.
Only 59 incarcerated and remanded for murder
The murder count for this year, 2016, is approaching 130-significantly higher than the count for 2015, but a bigger concern is the fact that murder convictions and arrests are substantially low at 59 as of the end of October 2016, with another 52 persons in prison for attempted murder and 9 for manslaughter.
This is according to information supplied to us by the Belize Central Prison, pointing to a probably decline in the prison population by at least 10% for 2016.
In some cases, multiple persons are remanded for single murder cases, as is the case with the murder and beheading of Pastor Llewelyn Lucas, for which the man known as Danny Mason/Rajesh Ouelette has been remanded with three other persons.
We were also advised the murder conviction rate is lamentably still in the single digits. In 2015, there were 74 murder convicts or remanded suspects behind bars, so the figure has dropped by 20%, even as the murder rate is increasing.
National U-17 posts 4-1 win over City selection at MCC, leaves Tuesday for Costa Rica
On Saturday night at the MCC Grounds, the National U-17 team played its last practice match before leaving on Tuesday of this week for World Cup 2018 qualifiers in Costa Rica. They played a U-17 team comprised of players from the two top teams in the recently completed Belize District U-17 tournament, namely Warriors FC and Hattieville Riverside Boys. As expected, the National U-17 prevailed, 4-1; but the game was very competitive, as there are still a number of talented City players that did not make the selection. Golden Boot winner in the Belize District U-17 competition, Kenroy Linares (82') scored the only goal for the City selection; while the National U-17 got goals from #4 Jesse August (12'), #19 Rayjan Jones (49'), #9 Gabriel Ramos (70') and #18 Christian Bush (85').
Coach Charlie Slusher said the team is short of their two best midfielders, Zerrick Cabral and Joseph Ramirez, who were not given permission by their high schools to make the 10-day trip.
CYDP Peace Cup reg. season ends, playoffs under way
The regular season for the CYDP Peace Cup was completed on Saturday, November 12, at the MCC Grounds with the last two games in Group B, which would determine the final Group B spot in the playoffs.
In the opener on Saturday, Kelly Street clipped Stars Academy, 3-2, with a hat trick (3 goals) from Steven "Breds" Baizer, while Kendis Williams got both goals for Stars Academy. And in the nightcap, Adgar Adderley struck twice and Irvin Wade got another, as Coast Guard defeated Tut Bay, 3-1. Brian Martinez got the only goal for Tut Bay.
With those results, the stage was set for the 8-team playoffs, which feature the top four teams from each group, Group A and Group B, being matched in best-of-two games quarterfinal series.
Playoff teams from Group A are: Ebony Lake, Ladyville FC, Yabra/City Boys FC and Hattieville United; and from Group B: Survivors FC, Coast Guard, Kelly Street FC and Tut Bay FC.
BDFA Inter-Office Week 1 results, schedule
The Belize District Football Association (BDFA) kicked off its 2016 Inter-Office football competition with Week 1 games at the MCC Grounds on Wednesday and Thursday, November 9 & 10, of last week.
As reported in our weekend issue, Wednesday's games saw RF& G Insurance playing to a 2-2 draw with KHMH; while a battle of the phone companies saw Smart and BTL also playing to a 2-2 stalemate.
In the opener on Thursday night, Tourist Village blanked Belize Bank, 5-0, with goals from John Castro (13' & 51'), Carlos Leno (20' & 41') and Anthony Arnold (63'). And in the nightcap, it was Belize City Council, 1-nil, over BWS, on a goal by Darren Leal (55').
Ground rules:
According to tournament rules, teams can have (i) no semi-pro player; (ii) may include 3 First Division (CYDP Peace Cup is considered 1st Division) players, but only 2 are allowed on the field at one time; and (iii) 1 female player must be on the field at all times.
SSBA basketball regular season ends this weekend
On Friday night, Sergeant Peppers Savages came up with a huge win against Benque Power, 63-52, to claim the fourth and final playoff spot in the Under 23 division of the San Ignacio/Santa Elena (SSBA) basketball competition. Sergeant Peppers Savages was led by Robert Jeffries, who had the game high with 29 pts, while Joel Montejo netted 19 pts. Kevin Brown was the top scorer for Benque Power with 16 pts, while Anfernee Young and Jamie Carbajal tallied 12 and 11 pts, respectively. In game 2, Belize Pet World, who was initially named Special Effects, blew out Cayo, 55-22, in the Over 35 division. Darrel Williams was the top scorer with 13 pts, while Arthan Tucker sank 12 pts, and Karon "Civic" Neal scored 11 pts. Roberto "Mosho" Castellanos was the high man for the Cayo squad with 12 pts. In the nightcap, Belmopan defeated Maria Chang/4G Lyte, 62-52, in the Over 35 category. Earl "Bolo" Johnson sank 24 pts, while Mark "Diesel" Wagner netted 15 pts, and Rupert Brown chipped in with 13 pts. Maria Chang/4G Lyte was led by Vince "Post" Estrada with the game high of 27 pts, while Kevin Domingo scored 9 pts. The last game of the night was not played, as Benque Riders was a no-show, giving the win to Maraton Mambas in the Senior Division.
America as Europe
In a sense, in last week Tuesday's presidential election the citizens of the United States of America asserted, or re-asserted, their European-ness. There was a white nationalism backlash being expressed in their Donald Trump vote by many of America's majority white citizens.
There are areas of the United States, most notably the so-called Confederate Southern states, where the notion of a black American President was viewed with great skepticism, and sometimes downright scorn. The United States, of course, elected a black President, Barack Obama, in both the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections.
Hillary Rodham Clinton, whom Obama defeated to win the 2008 presidential nomination for the Democratic Party, and who became the Democratic Party candidate for last Tuesday's presidential election, was viewed by white nationalists as someone who would be continuing the Barack Obama legacy and policies, a legacy and policies viewed as odious and contemptible by Confederate-thinking Americans.
The continental United States was a territory inhabited by Indigenous Native American tribes when the first Europeans, perhaps the Spanish and the French, landed on its shores in the sixteenth century. European settlers of British origin came to the northeastern coast of the United States in the ship named the Mayflower in 1620, but their explorers and pirates, such as Sir Francis Drake, landed on the West Coast of America decades earlier.
From the Publisher
Sometime between Saturday night and Sunday morning, my God, east from Addis Ababa to the Black Hills of the Lakota Sioux, "dreamed" to me, and I saw that we Belizeans were now going back in time to those days when our masters spoke to us from far away, and in this land by the sea we had to answer soft, and say "Sir," and "Madam."
When the struggle for self-rule and Belizean dignity began, I was a little child, and we had no running water and no sewerage systems in Belize. We were a poor people, but we could endure our pain because this was all we saw around us. "We didn't know no better."
The days would come when we Belizeans began to see comfort and riches. We saw comfort and riches in America, and afterwards we saw such comfort and riches in Belize itself. The riches we saw were material things, and we began to desire such things. Our desire became so great that we were willing to sacrifice our very souls, some of us even our lives.
Adolphus A. Rosales writes on the 13th Senator
Dear Editor,
Kindly allow me space in your valuable newspaper to draw attention to the Governor General, Minister Dean O. Barrow and those advocating a 13th Senator. I personally opined that the stipulation is repetitive and redundant.
Section 61 of the Constitution stipulates that the Senate composition shall be as follows:
1. 6 to be nominated by the Government
2. 3 by the Opposition Party in Parliament
3. 1 by the Belize Council of Churches
4. 1 by the Chamber of Commerce & Industry
5. 1 by the National Trade Union Congress
6. 1 by non-governmental organizations
In analyzing the definition of government, I opined that the opposition, listed in Item 2, is "technically" non-governmental and legally those in Items 3, 4 and 5 are non-governmental; therefore, alluding to the nomination of a 13th Senator by non-governmental organizations is not only repetitive but, redundant.
PUP want Hon. Gaspar Vega recalled
The People's United Party (PUP) is seeking to recall former Cabinet Minister and Orange Walk North area representative, Gaspar Vega.
The recall mechanism was introduced into law by the United Democratic Party during the first of its three successive terms in government. This law allows for the removal from office of any elected area representative who the public feels is not acting in its best interest. Thirty percent of voters must sign on to a petition for recall to be successful.
During the UDP's second of its three successive terms in office, an effort by the PUP was made to recall embattled Immigration Minister and Cayo Northeast Representative, Elvin Penner, but the effort failed.
The PUP's northern caucus met on Saturday in Ranchito Village, Corozal District, where it was updated on the process, procedures and requirements for the recall of a sitting Member of the House of Representatives.
Breaking Belize News
Man charged for shooting little girl
Anthony Crawford has been charged in connection with the shooting of a female minor on Sunday night. Crawford has been charged with 'attempted murder', 'wounding' and 'deadly means of harm'. Police are yet to make any arrests in the shooting of the other female [�]
Teen charged for Friday's double murder
Police have charged one man in connection with the recent murder of Tyler Savery, 7, and Porshan Pipersbugh, 21. Jayear Flores, 18, a Belizean laborer, has been arrsted and charged for two counts of murder. Flores was arraigned today in the Belize City Magistrate [�]
House goes up in flames in PG
A wooden house and items inside belonging to John Ortega and Aura Lemus went up in flames last night. The incident occurred around midnight on Govel Morgan Street in the Indianville area of Punta Gorda town in the Toledo district. The value of the [�]
Ministry of Defense reports on GAF stopping SATIIM Patrol Vessel on the Sarstoon River
Today, the Ministry of Defense issued a press release informing that the Belize Defense Force (BDF) received a report of an incident that occurred last Thursday, November 10, in which the Sarstoon-Temash Institute for Indigenous Management (SATIIM) was interrupted by Guatemalan Armed Forces (GAF) [�]
Would a devaluation be good for Belize?
It would seem that the Government of Belize is convinced that a devaluation and/or revaluation of the Belize currency would be good for Belize�.as they have done everything they possibly can to increase the risk of losing the Belize dollar peg at [�]
Alert! Fake money circulating
Officer Commanding Belmopan police, Supt. Howell Gillett is advising the public to be alert because there are reports of fake Belizean money circulating, in particular the $20 bill. Gillett mentioned some tips that would be helpful to recognize the fake currency. "The public can [�]
A super moon over Ambergris Caye
There is something about the moon that tugs at our hearts. Whether it be a full or waning moon, we are mesmerized by its beauty. The sight of the glowing orb rising over the horizon tends to slow us down, connecting us as we realize just how tiny we are in the universe. That feeling was magnified on Monday November 14th, when the glow of the Super Moon bathed our island. The term Super Moon was coined by scientists as the moon appeared 14% bigger and up to 30% brighter. Those lucky to find themselves in an area with clear skies got to enjoy this natural phenomenon.
Has Secret Beach, West Ambergris Caye, Jumped the Shark?
Things are getting BUSY! It's not longer a hidden paradise�a spot for only locals on Sunday afternoon.
Has Secret Beach, with the gaudy sign and sudden upwelling of new businesses, jumped the shark? So�with 4 eateries, 3 places to buy drink (one with a license to stay open until MIDNIGHT), a beach club and room for many many more people. Is it the end of an era at SECRET Beach?
My opinion: It is DEFINITELY no secret�and many have been mourning that. But I think it's bigger and BETTER. Especially during the week�
International Sources
S&P cuts Belize as country looks to restructure $530m in bonds
S&P Global Ratings has cut Belize's sovereign credit rating deeper into junk territory as the Central American country looks to restructure its debt for the second time in five years.
The ratings agency lowered the rating to CCC+ from B- with a negative outlook.
Last week, Belize Prime Minister Dean Barrow traveled to New York to meet its financial advisors and holders of the country's 2038 bonds after the government said it is confronting "serious economic and financial challenges."
Ahead of the meeting, the government urged bondholders to form a committee before the end of November, or roughly two months before the country faces its next coupon payment. A government spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Belize joins CABEI as a non-founding regional member country
Belize joined the Central American Bank for Economic Integration (CABEI) as a full member, as a result of the recent amendments to the Bank's Constitutive Agreement, which allows the region's countries to enjoy full participation and integrate the CABEI Board of Directors and Board of Governors.
The above was made known by means of a formal note addressed to the CABEI Executive President, Dr. Nick Rischbieth, from Belize's Finance Minister, Honorable Dean O. Barrow, who confirmed that Belize had completed the terms and conditions to become a non-founding regional member.
The amendments to the CABEI Constitutive Agreement that made these changes possible came into effect on June 9, 2016, and are aimed at consolidating the Bank's preferential creditor status, supporting its member countries, strengthening its capital base and promoting a greater diversification of its loan portfolio.
The Caribbean PPP Landscape from A to P
THE Caribbean has pressing investment challenges, it needs more than US$21 billion in infrastructure investment by 2025 in order to close the infrastructure services gap in the region.
According to S Brian Samuel, Public-Private Partnerships (PPP) Coordinator at the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), this provides an impetus for PPP projects across the Region.
From 1990 to 2013, apart from the Dominican Republic, Jamaica has led the way with respect to implementing almost five times the total value of PPP projects, as compared to the next highest contributor, Belize.
There are still a few notable Caribbean PPP successes including Jamaica's Sangster International Airport at Montego Bay, Haiti's Independent Power Producers (IPPs) and Jamaica's Renewable Energy Auctions.
Haiti, Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago also have dedicated PPP Units and Policies, and Grenada and St Lucia have put policies in place.
Videos
Banco Chinchorro and the Belize Barrier Reef, 1min. Diving Costa Maya at Mahahual and the Belize Barrier Reef near Caye Caulker
Gulf of Honduras Creative Conservation Project, 5min. From 2014-2016, Creative Action Institute worked with leading conservation organizations in Belize and Guatemala to amplify their initiatives through creative leadership and community engagement. Special thanks to the Oak Foundation, New England Biolabs Foundation and New England Biolabs.
Visit to Belize Part 2: The Children, 2min. Hear first hand how meeting the children at the Liberty Children's Home has changed the lives of our MaidPro Cares volunteers.
BELIZE UNDERWATER, 1min.
EF Belize Trip 2017, 2min. Come join us! An amazing opportunity to swim in the second largest coral reef in the world.
Missions Trip Belize, 3.5min.
Freeks wilde wereld Belize Bommetje!, 10min.
, 30min. In early 2015, a team of 22 explorers set out into the far reaches of Belize's treasured Chiquibul National Forest on a mission to reach the never before explored Nohoch Ch'en Sinkhole - a massive bowl with sheer limestone walls dropping 500 feet below the jungle, and breathtaking views. Join the crew as they discover the extraordinary and mystical features of Nohoch Ch'en, ranging from it's incredibly unique gradient of ecosystems, the rare and endemic species living inside, and an unknown ancient history left by the Maya people... Nohoch Ch'en is but one of many amazing features of the Chiquibul, but it is not without it's threats. Deforestation and incursions from over the border threaten this beautiful land, and it is up to the governing rangers of FCD (Friends for Conservation & Development), and all of us to protect it.
Fish tournament 2016, 10min. from PGTV News
SOCIAL WORK STUDENT ASSOCIATION (SWSA) - SEXUAL HARASSMENT CAMPAIGN, 22min.
BELIZE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE & INDUSTRY CHRISTMAS EXPO EXTRAVAGANZA, 26min.
"12 DAYS OF CHARITY" City Council Initiative, 30min.
Remembering the Veterans, 17min.
NGO 13th SENATOR SELECTION PROCESS, 40min.
World Diabetes Day, 30min.
Supper Bond Update, 14min.
Gruesome Discovery in the Midnight Terror Cave of Belize, 3min. Sometime around midnight on a night in 2006, an antiquities looter hoping to find and steal relics of an ancient Mayan civilization from a cave Belize got the punishment he deserved - he lost his grip on the rope he was clinging to and fell 60 feet (18 meters) to the bottom of the cave into a deep pile of human bones. The Belizean Mennonite farmer who heard the looter's blood-curdling screams and rescued him gave the cave the name "Mitnacht Schreknis Heel," which is Plautdietsch (the Dutch-German Mennonite dialect) for "Midnight Terror Cave." Researchers recently revealed how the bones got there and confirmed that the cave deserves its gruesome name.
Belize Night Dive Macy and Max first ND, 7min. Macy and Max first Night Dive. Belize. August 2016.
Ancient Mayan Ruins at Altun Ha & The Old River, Belize, 6min.
Rotary Club of Belmopan | The Belize Children Project (Documentary), 8.5min. This documentary was put together by the Belmopan Rotary Club to highlight the work being done through the Belize Children Project. The Belize Childrens Project (BCP has helped over 400 children with bone related problems, obtain needed medical attention in the States.
Belize Fly Fishing | Tom Rosenbauer, 23min. In this episode of The New Fly Fisher Tom Rosenbauer takes Colin McKeown to El Pescador Lodge in Belize to teach him how to fly fish for permit, bonefish and tarpon. Excellent lodge and great information in a beautiful destination.